In Response to y? from St. Louis...

I appreciate y?'s post, which begins, "What happens when the lines between your Moishe House and your home collide?"

I think the question of balancing your personal needs (and investment in a community that works for you) and the professional aspect of doing a job to staff that community is very difficult. It's made even harder by the fact that the personal and professional space is one and the same -- your house -- and thus the dilemma is literally brought home every day.

y? asks the question in a way that suggests this conflict doesn't occur so frequently for him, but perhaps I'm misreading the post. Regardless, for me it's something I've struggled with almost every day for the last three years. Frankly, I love building our community, but I really dislike building it in my house. It's too much for me, too intrusive, and it doesn't jibe with my need for protected personal space. Nonetheless, I recognize that one of the reasons that we are successful is because our home environment creates such a warm and welcoming vibe, both for folks coming in to our community for the first time and for those who keep coming back for more.

I tend to respond to this issue by spending a lot of time at my girlfriend's house, but I somewhat resent that I have to do that. Obviously, since I've managed to stay at the Moishe/Kavod House for three years now, I've found a balance that works for my life, but it never feels so great to me.

So I guess what I'm saying is that I'm curious what others have to say on this subject...